United States Forest Service

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The United States Forest Service (USFS) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture responsible for managing and protecting national forests and grasslands. The USFS was founded in 1905 and currently manages 193 million acres of public land, making it the largest forestry agency in the United States of America.
The agency is divided into nine regions numbered 1-10 (Region 7 was eliminated in 1965 and its forests added to Regions 8 & 9), each of which manages 15-20 national forests/grasslands. The regions have a fair amount of autonomy and tend to develop their own style of apparatus based on budgets, fire occurrence, water availability, and fuel type.
The USFS is responsible for a wide range of activities, including managing timber harvesting, wildlife habitat improvement, watershed management, recreation opportunities, and wildfire suppression. The agency also works to protect endangered species and cultural and historic resources on public lands.
To carry out its mission, the USFS employs a variety of professionals, including foresters, wildlife biologists, hydrologists, archaeologists, and firefighters. The agency works closely with other federal, state, and local agencies, as well as with private organizations and individuals, to manage public lands for the benefit of current and future generations.